Farmers are reminded that the closing date for submitting their 2008 Single Application Forms is tomorrow Thursday, 15 May 2008.
Applications received by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) after 15 May and by 9 June 2008 will incur late penalties. Forms received after 9 June 2008 will be rejected.
Up to the present about 8,000, applications have been received. Farm businesses that lodged applications in 2007 have been issued with application packs. Businesses that did not lodge an application in 2007, or have not yet received a pack, can obtain one by contacting their local DARD office. Guidance on the completion of the application form and field data sheet is provided in the Applicants' Guide included in the pack.
When completing their application, farmers are advised to check their most recent farm maps to make sure these reflect the current situation in their fields. If not, they should use the GIS 2 form, included with the application pack, to tell the Department about any changes. They should also ensure that their field data sheet reflects the updated position. Farmers who have already submitted their application and now discover they have made a mistake or have used an out-of-date map, should immediately amend their claim by completing the SAF 3 form provided in their application pack.
Farmers should ensure they declare all the land at their disposal at columns A- H of their field data sheet, including land which they have control of for nitrates purposes, even if this is not being used to support a claim for aid.
Business that have applied to transfer entitlements by sale or lease and who have not yet been notified of the outcome should bear in mind when completing their 2008 Single Application that entitlements belong to the business approved by DARD as holding the entitlements at 15 May 2008.
Staff at local offices are available to assist with queries about the application and to deal with notifications of changes to farm maps. If farmers need to go to their local office they are encouraged to do so well in advance of the 15 May closing date.
